29 May 2011

Back in 1867 a newcomer to Canada from Vedano, Italy by the name of Carlo Onorato Catelli established Canada's first pasta plant on Saint-Paul Street in Old Montreal where he paved the way making macaroni and vermicelli by hand. Since then, the small operation has grown to include a full range of CATELLI® pasta shapes and varieties.

From now until June 16th the company is running their Help Catelli Feed the Hope campaign where you can enter their weekly contest and win $250 in groceries as well as $250 for your local food bank. You can also help Catelli set a record and be one of the 5,000 people to sign up and pledge to eat pasta on May 31st for Hunger Awareness Day. For every person that signs up Catelli will donate 1 serving of pasta for every family in need. If they reach 5,000 people they will donate 10,000 extra servings.

After my trip to Washington DC my cupboards are bare so what better way to celebrate this initiative than to use what I have available. I have the luxury of having well-stocked cupboards which far too many in our nation do not. So for this weeks Presto Pasta Nights I am getting my "pasta legs" on and creating a dish perfect for those scorching summer nights!

Presto Pasta Nights has been the baby of Ruth over at Once Upon a Feast for over 5 glorious years. Whenever we feel the urge for some pasta we can go over to her site and have 3 years of entries from all over the world to choose from, from pasta salad to lasagna to Pho. There is a pasta for every season, every ingredient and every taste. All of these delicious pasta dishes have been submitted by all of you!!! This week the event is being hosted by the Pasta Queen herself Ruth at Once Upon a Feast.

Pasta is part of a well-balanced diet. Current dietary guidance calls for up to 65% of daily calories to come from carbohydrates. My cupboards are always full of pasta in countless shapes and sizes. It is simply too hard to resist at our local Italian grocers, especially since they have expanded!!! I want to have pasta every day of the year!!!!

2) Pasta is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, which provide a slow release of energy which will get you trough all the kid taxi runs and other daily chores.

3) Pasta is very low in sodium and cholesterol-free.

4) Whole wheat pasta can provide up to 25% of daily fiber requirements in every one cup portion.

Pasta is not the culprit to weight gain it is what you put on top. It’s a fact:...reducing calories, not carbohydrates, helps you lose weight if that is your goal. Even if you are the size you have always wanted to be this dish will boost your vitamin content for the day. With sauteed tomatoes, wilted spinach and shrimp this is a lighter version of pasta.

On May 31st "get your pasta legs on" and join kitchens across the nation with a delectable pasta dish.

For Breadcrumbs: In a medium nonstick frying pan, heat the 2 tablespoons oil over moderate heat for breadcrumbs. Add the bread crumbs, garlic, and 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and garlic and stir. Let the tomatoes cook for about three minutes, stirring only occasionally, until they start to break down. Add 1/4 cup wine and reduce sauce until liquid is absorbed approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

To the pan add the shrimp. Stir. Add oregano, crushed red pepper, and salt and pepper. Saute until the shrimps turn a lovely pink colour. Add lemon juice. To the pan add spinach and stir. At this point I add the cooked spaghetti to the pan and mix well with kitchen tongs. It depends on how wilted you like your spinach.

Sprinkle with toasted garlicky breadcrumbs and serve.

Serves 4

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

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My blog More Than Burnt Toast has been my passion for almost 9 years and has evolved with me over time as I have gained confidence in the kitchen. Follow my travels through Italy and Greece one recipe at a time, upcoming cooking classes at local Okanagan wineries and restaurants, as well as daily experimentation in my own kitchen. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. I look forward to getting to know you.